History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals., Part 3

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co.
Number of Pages: 703

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THE WAR OF 1812-THE REBELLION.

Early in the spring of 1813 a successful expedition to Canada was made from Ogdensburg, and in retaliation an attack was made on that place, some stores taken, sev- eral vessels destroyed and the property of citizens injured. In April a successful expedition was sent by General Dearborn against York, now Toronto. In May the Brit- ish were driven from Fort George, on the Niagara River, near Lake Ontario, and the enemy's post on that frontier evacuated. Sackett's Harbor was attacked by the British, who were repulsed, and an unsuccessful attack was also made by them on the village of Black Rock.

The brilliant victory of Commodore Perry, on Lake Erie, was achieved on the 10th of September in this year, but the operations on Lake Ontario were less decisive. Late in the autumn an unsuccessful attempt was made to invade Canada under General Wilkinson. The Ameri- can generals Izard and Hampton were repulsed near the border of Franklin county. In December the British took Fort Niagara, and massacred a large part of the gar- rison and even hospital patients. Lewiston was burned, and the villages of Youngstown, Manchester, Schlosser and the Indian village of Tuscarora were devastated by the enemy. The village of Black Rock and Buffalo were also burned, and thus the desolation of the Niagara fron- tier was completed.

Early in 1814 an attempt was made by the British to capture some military stores at Oswego Falls, but without success. On the 3d of July, 1814, Fort Erie was taken by the Americans, and on the 25th a battle was fought at Lundy's Lane. In August Fort Erie was besieged by the British, who were compelled to retire about the mid- dle of September.

The plan of a dismemberment of the Union, by pos- sessing Lake Champlain and the Hudson River from the north, and capturing New York, was again formed, and it was hoped that discontent and opposition to the war in New England, and possibly in New York, might lead to the conclusion of a separate peace with these States. The people, however, were fully aroused, and the de- fenses of New York were strengthened and strongly gar- risoned. An invasion was undertaken from Canada, and

a descent was made on Plattsburg by an army of 14,000 [ and peace has since prevailed.

men under Sir George Prevost, but after a severe engage- ment on the Irth of September this army was compelled to retire with great loss. The British fleet, under Com- modore Downie, was on the same day captured on Lake Champlain by Commodore Macdonough. No further invasion of this frontier took place. On the 24th of De- cember a treaty of peace was concluded at Ghent.

No other interruption of the peaceful relations between this country and England has occurred. Some infrac- tions of the neutrality laws have been attempted by peo- ple on the Canadian frontier, the chief of which took place during the Canadian rebellion, commonly known as the " Patriot war," in 1837-38.

What were known as the anti-rent disturbances com- menced as early as 1839, and were not terminated till 1846. Laws were enacted to modify the process of col- lecting rents and to extend the time for "re-entry " on | ern Inland Lock Navigation Companies, for the purpose

lands where rents were in arrears. Participators in out- rages were pardoned, and quiet was finally restored.

The annexation of Texas to the United States led to hostilities between Mexico and this nation, and on the IIth of May, 1846, Congress declared that, by the acts of the Mexicans, war existed between the two nations. The Americans were victorious in all important engage- ments with the Mexican army, and the part taken by the troops from the State of New York was conspicuous and highly creditable to their valor.

From time to time the Legislature enacted laws con - cerning slavery, down to the year 1819. A law passed in 1799 provided for the gradual extinction of slavery in the State. "In 1817 a further act was passed, decreeing that there should be no slavery in the State after the 4th of July, 1827. Ten thousand slaves were set free by this act.'

The recognition of slavery in the territories of the United States was earnestly resisted during many years, and the controversy finally resulted in a gigantic civil war. On the election of Abraham Lincoln to the pres- idency, in 1860, on the platform of avowed hostility to the extension of slavery, and the failure to effect a com- promise by which the institution should be recognized or tolerated in any of the territories, the southern States de- termined to secede from the Union and establish a sep- arate government. The attack by the Confederates, as these States styled themselves, on Fort Sumter was the first overt act of the Rebellion, and on its occurrence, in April, 1861, was the commencement of active hostilities. Before the close of that year the State of New York had placed in the field one hundred and fifteen regiments.

In July, 1863, during the execution of a draft ordered by Congress, an alarming riot occurred in the city of New York. The police were unable to check its progress, and during several days the city was convulsed with law- lessness, rapine and murder. The outbreak was finally quelled by military force, but not until a large amount of property had been destroyed and many lives sacrificed. The war was prolonged till the spring of 1865, when it terminated with the complete success of the Union arms,

CHAPTER VI.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS - CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND- MENTS-SCHOOLS-STATISTICS.

N 1791 the Legislature ordered an exploration and survey to ascertain the most eligible method of removing obstructions from the Mohawk and Hudson rivers, with a view to improve their navigation by the construction of canals. The following year two companies were incorporated, styled the Northern and West-

OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

of facilitating navigation by connecting Lake Ontario with the Mohawk and Lake Champlain with the Hudson by canals.

In 1810 a provision was made by the Legislature " for exploring the route of an inland navigation from Hudson's River to Lake Ontario and Lake Erie." It was at first . proposed to solicit aid from the general government to carry out this work, but in 1812 a commission reported to the Legislature that sound policy demanded that this should be done by the State. War with Great Britain interrupted the project.

On the termination of the war the policy was revived; and notwithstanding the formidable character of the un- dertaking, and the difficulties in its way, through the untiring energy and perseverance of De Witt Clinton an act prepared by him was passed in April, 1817, author- izing the construction of the work. It was commenced on the 4th of July in that year, and on the 26th of Oc- tober, 1825, the first flotilla of boats left Buffalo for New York. The departure of this flotilla was communicated to New York in one hour and twenty minutes, by the dis- charge of cannon stationed within hearing of each other. This was then regarded as a rapid transmission of intelli- gence.

The first railroad in the State, that between Albany and Schenectady, was chartered in 1826 and completed in 1831. Other roads through the central portion of the State were soon constructed, and railroad connection be- tween the great lakes and Hudson River established. In 1851 these different roads were consolidated into the present immense New York Central Railroad, and subse- quently connection was established, through the Hudson River Railroad, with the city of New York. In 1833 the New York and Erie Railway was commenced, but it was not completed till 1852. The enlargement of the Erie Canal to its present capacity was commenced in 1835 and completed in 1862. These constitute the main avenues of travel and transportation through the State between the eastern and western extremities, but connecting routes in every direction have come into existence, and the fa- cilities for transportation and travel in this State are not excelled by those of any other. It is hardly necessary to call attention to the telegraph lines that ramify through all parts of the State.

It has already been stated that a State constitution was adopted in 1777. Several amendments to this constitu- sion were adopted in a convention held for that purpose in 1801. In 1821 it was revised by a convention chosen for that purpose, and the new constitution was adopted early in 1822, at a popular election held for that purpose, by a majority of more than 33,000 in a total vote of 1 16,919.

On the Ist of June, 1846, another constitutional con- vention met at Albany, and it continued in session more than four months. The amendments to the constitution adopted by that body were ratified by the people in the following November by a majority of more than 20,000 votes.

on the 4th of June, and continued its session, except during an adjournment of two months, several weeks into 1868. The amended constitution framed by this con- vention was submitted to the people in November, 1869, and resulted in its rejection, except the article making changes in the judiciary, by a majority of more than 66,000. The judiciary article was accepted by a small majority.

In 1872 a commission of thirty-two persons was ap- pointed to propose to the Legislature amendments to the constitution. In 1873 several important amendments were recommended, and ratified at the election in 1874. It is a notable fact that, as changes have been made in the constitution of the State, the right of the elective franchise has been extended; till now complete manhood suffrage is established.

In 1787 a law was enacted incorporating the Regents of the University of New York, and in their report for 1793 they called attention to the importance of instituting a common school system. At different times from 1787 to 1795 Governor Clinton called the attention of the Legislature to the same subject, and in that year an act was passed appropriating $50,000 annually for five years for the encouragement of schools. In 1805, after atten- tion had repeatedly been called to the subject by the dif- ferent governors, the Legislature passed an act laying the foundation of the present common school fund. In 1812 the first common school system was adopted, comprising substantially the features of the system as it existed up to 1840. Changes in this system have from time to time been made, till now the free school system of this State is believed to be, with scarcely an exception, the most nearly perfect of all in existence.

The State Agricultural Society, which has been pro- ductive of such great benefit, was organized at a conven- tion in Albany in 1832. It was reorganized in 1841, and measures were adopted for raising funds and holding annual fairs.

In 1836 the Legislature ordered a scientific survey of the State for the purpose of developing a knowledge of its geology, mineralogy and natural history. The pub- lished reports of this survey are of very great value.

The following list of the governors, lieutenant-govern- ors and presidents of the council who have administered the government of the colony and State of New York from 1629 to the present time will be found convenient for reference.

Under the Dutch regime: Wouter Van Twiller, 1629; William Kieft, 1638; Peter Stuyvesant, 1647.

English governors, etc .: Richard Nicolls, 1664; Francis Lovelace, 1667; Anthony Colve, on the recapture of the province by the Dutch, 1673. After the surrender to the English: Sir Edmund Andros, 1674; Anthony Brockholls, 1681; Thomas Dongan, 1683; Francis Nicholson, 1688; Jacob Leisler, 1689; Henry Sloughter, 1691; Richard Ingold: by, 1691; Benjamin Fletcher, 1692 ;. Richard, Earl of Bellomont, 1698; John Nanfan, 1699; Lord Cornbury, 1702; Lord Lovelace, 1708; Richard Ingoldsby,

In 1867 another constitutional convention assembled, 1709; Gerardus Beekman, 1710; Robert Hunter, 1710;

1 5

GOVERNORS OF NEW YORK-POPULATION. .

Peter Schuyler, 1719; William Burnet, 1720; John Montgomery, 1728; Rip Van Dam, 1731; William Cosby, 1732; George Clark, 1736; George Clinton, 1743; Dan- vers Osborne, 1753; James De Lancev, 1753; Sir Charles Hardy, 1755; James De Lancey, 1757; Cadwallader Colden, 1760; Robert Monkton, 1762; Cadwallader Colden, 1763; Henry Moore, 1765; John, Earl of Dun- more, 1770: William Tryon, 1771.

Governors of the State: George Clinton, 1777; John Jay, 1795; George Clinton, 1801; Morgan Lewis, 1804; Daniel D. Tompkins, 1807; De Witt Clinton, 1817; Joseph C. Yates, 1822; De Witt Clinton, 1824; Martin Van Buren, 1828; Enos T. Throop, 1830; William L. Marcy, 1832; William H. Seward, 1838; William C. Bouck, 1842; Silas Wright, 1844; John Young, 1846; Hamilton

Fish, 1848; Washington Hunt, 1850; Horatio Seymour, 1852; Myron H.Clark, 1854; John A.King, 1856; Edwin D. Morgan, 1858; Horatio Seymour, 1862; Reuben E. Fenton, 1864; John T. Hoffman, 1868; John A. Dix, 1872; Samuel J.Tilden, 1874; Lucius Robinson, 1876; A. B. Cornell, 1880.

The population of the colony and State of New York was in 1698, 18,067; 1703, 20,665; 1723, 40,564; 1731, 50,824; 1737, 60,437; 1746, 61,589; 1749, 73,348; 1756, 96,790; 1771, 163,337; 1790, 340,120; 1800, 586,756; 1810, 959,049; 1820, 1,372,812; 1830, 1,918,608; 1840, 2,428,921; 1850, 3,097,394; 1860, 3,880,735; 1870, 4,382,759; 1880, 5,083,173.

Of the total population there were in 1790, 21,324 slaves; in 1800, 33,343; 1810, 15,017; 1820, 10,088; 1830, 75; 1840, 4.

GENERAL

HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

CHAPTER I.

A SKETCH OF THE TOPOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

HE time has long since gone by when a belief shore is deeper than on the southern coast. Between the in the sudden creation of the earth in its heights along the sound shore and the irregular range of hills which extend lengthwise through the island near the middle, for most of its length, and which are termed the backbone, the surface is in many places much broken. Harbor Hill, in North Hempstead, one of the highest - points on the island, was found by actual measurement to be three hundred and eighty-four feet in height. present form was generally prevalent. Once it was considered not only heterodox but almost blasphemous for a man to avow his conviction that he saw on the surface of the earth indications of changes that occurred at a period previous to about six thousand years since. That con- tinents, or even islands, should rise from the sea, become The northern coast of the island is indented by eight principal bays, or fiords, which extend inland from three to six miles and have a width of from half a mile to a mile and a half. In some places in these the water has a depth of from thirty to fifty feet, and the average depth is about twenty feet. South from this central range the surface slopes to the coast gradually, and so evenly as to have the appearance of a level plain. submerged, and emerge again in the lapse of immense time, was not deemed possible. Within the limits of historic time no record was given of more than slight changes, and men had not learned to read the record which is written in the strata beneath the surface, and which science has made legible on the edges of those strata where they are visible. The man who ventured to assert that Long Island was once submerged, and that its emergence was of comparatively recent date, would have been regarded by some as impious and by others as mad. That period of ignorance has passed, and people have come to recognize the fact that, as far as the records of the past can be deciphered, the earth has been steadily changing, in the midst of its changing environ- ments, and that, as far as science is able to peer into the future, changes will continue to succeed each other.

An inspection of the map of Long Island shows that it, as well as the coast south from it, had its birth from the sea, in what, geologically speaking, may be termed modern times; and there are evidences of vertical oscilla- tions of the surface here which may have caused a suc- cession of partial or complete submergences and emerg- ences.

The island extends from east to west about one hun- dred and twenty miles, and has an average width of about fifteen miles. Along the northern coast an average elevation of about one hundred feet is found, though there are places where the hills are much higher. On this coast numerous "necks " of land and inlets or es- tuaries of the sound are seen; and the water along this

Along the south shore are numerous shallow bays and inlets, especially toward the western extremity of the island. Along this shore also is a narrow sand beach, which jincloses a bay, or rather a succession of narrow bays, for most of the length of the coast. This beach is crossed at different points by inlets, formerly called "guts" (Dutch " gat," or gate), which connect these bays with the ocean, and divide the beach into a succession of long narrow beaches; as narrow necks of land connect these beaches with the mainland and divide the long narrow bay into a succession of bays, some of which do not communicate with the ocean, Outside these long narrow beaches is a shifting sand bar, and inside the bays are extensive salt marshes, or meadows. About forty miles of the eastern end of the island is divided by a succession of bays into two peninsulas, each having an average

GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF LONG ISLAND.

width of about five miles and the southern extending some twenty miles further east than the northern, though the last seems to be continued to about the same distance by a succession of islands.

When the geological survey of the State was made- nearly forty years since-it was believed that the forma- tion of the island was due to the action of opposite and resultant currents, and probably its foundation on the primary rock which underlies it was thus laid, in a pre- glacial period. The Gulf Stream from the south, as it is believed to have flowed; the Arctic current from the north, and the action of the tides in the Atlantic, all combined to bring hither and deposit the materials of which this foundation consists.

It is believed by geologists that the strata of rocks here were formerly from three hundred to one thousand feet lower than they now are. Then the southeastern shore of the United States was farther inland, and the Gulf Stream swept from the south parallel with and nearer to the base of the primary Atlantic chain of moun- tains than at present. Along the course of this stream, from Georgia to Maryland, extended a broad belt of primary rocks. These rocks, which were various in their character, were remarkably prone to disintegration, and the results of their wearing down were extremely various.

These debrita were borne northward beneath the sur- face by the equatorial current, and deposited, as in its course northward this current became less rapid; hence the deposits of various kinds that are found in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. At this period the basin of the St. Lawrence and Hudson valleys was occupied by an inland sea, through which came the Arctic current, bringing its freight of debrita to be deposited when circumstances favored its subsidence. The effect of the oblique meeting of those currents in the region of Long Island, when the force of both was partially spent, was to arrest their northward and southward flow, and to produce a gentle resultant current toward the east, with eddies that were influenced by the form of the sea bot- tom where the currents met, by storms that swept over the surface here, and by other storms at the north or south, which temporarily deflected, retarded or ac- celerated these currents. Thus, it was believed, were the materials of the strata which underlie Long Island brought hither; and thus in the resultant comparatively still water and eddies were they deposited; hence the lignite and the bones of marine and terrestrial animals that are found at great depths when wells are sunk and excavations made.

After the process of piling the foundation of the island on the sea bottom had gone on, in the way indicated, during indefinite time, the upheaval took place. Previous to the adoption of the glacial theory it was believed that icebergs floated hither, bringing the boulders, etc., that they had torn from their beds in the north, and dropping them, one by one, as they slowly melted while circulat- ing in the eddies here; and that at a later period they became stranded or ran aground in shallow water, and there melted, leaving their entire cargoes to constitute

the hills on the island as the surface was further up- heaved. The researches of modern geologists seem to show that subsequent to the period spoken of, but in pre-glacial times, an upheaval occurred which carried the surface here from three hundred to four hundred feet higher than it now is, and that it remained thus elevated during the glacial period.

It is believed that during this time of elevation the Hudson River had its mouth eighty miles farther to the southeast than at present, and that its course and the former littoral plain through which it ran, as well as the old coast lines, are traceable by soundings. During the time of elevation the ice period occurred, and it is thought that the terminal moraine of the glacier extended length- wise through the island and far to the east along the New England coast, as well as west across New Jersey; and that the drift material of the island was brought by this agency from the regions to the north and west, where it existed in place. Thus were brought the deposits of clay, sand and gravel which are found especially on the north half of the island, and which often vary so greatly in their character, though separated only by short distances. Thus, too, were brought hither the boulders, some of which are of immense size. Kidd's Rock and Millstone Rock in the town of North Hempstead, Queens county, may be mentioned as examples.

The primary rock which underlies the island comes to the surface at Hell Gate and Hallett's Cove, on its north- western extremity, and here the drift deposit lies di- rectly on this rock. Elsewhere it is superposed on older deposits.

It is certain that since the glacial period a subsidence of the surface has taken place, and it is not considered impossible that several vertical oscillations have occurred. Mr. Lewis says: "If a depression of two hundred feet should take place all of Long Island that would remain above the water would be a broken range of hills. With an elevation of two hundred feet Long Island Sound would be converted to dry land. The Connecticut and Hudson Rivers would roll along deeper channels, and discharge their waters many miles seaward; while Brook- lyn and New York would be inland cities." It is believ- ed, as before stated, that the vertical oscillations in past time have carried the surface of the land here more than two hundred feet higher as well as lower than its present elevation. At present the surface is subsiding, though at the rate of only a few inches in a century. Evidences of this subsidence are found in abundance where excava- tions or borings are made, and in some instances where the bottom of the sea at some distance from the coast is explored. The stumps of submerged or buried forests are thus found, as well as other products of the former surface. Evidences of a former subsidence, much greater than at present, are found in the occurrence of marine deposits at points in the higher parts of the island. It is believed that every rood of the space from the central range of hills " has been the shore line of first an invad- ing, atterward of a receding ocean, and the scene of those great coast changes which waves produce." These

GENERAL, HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

changes, which occur from time to time now as the re- sults of storm and ocean currents, it is hardly necessary to detail. As the swell rolls obliquely from the eastward along the coast the beach is modified by the deposit or the washing away of the sand; inlets to the bays are choked up and obliterated, and others break out at other points; sand spits and beaches form, and southerly winds drift the sands on the island, to be again washed away by the waves.

Along the northern coast changes have taken place, and they are still going on, by shore erosion and the transportation of the detritus by storms and tidal currents. Portions of the main island have been thus cut off and have become islands, and the material washed away has been deposited, sometimes at considerable distance, to form shoals, beaches, or necks connecting what had thus been made islands with the shore again. Beaches have thus been formcd and obliterated, inlets and channels have been excavated and again filled up, islands have been cut off and joined again to the island, or washed away, and changes, many of which are now difficult to trace and doubtless others that cannot now be traced, have in the lapse of time occurred. Some of the more re- cent of these may, however, be easily discerned, and peo- ple whose lives have been spent here have been able to note many that have gradually occurred, or to remember others that were effected by violent storms.

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History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals., Part 3

Author: Publication date: 1882 Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co. Number of Pages: 703

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co.
Number of Pages: 703